Earl Howe

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.

The Rt Hon. the Earl Howe GBE

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

13 January 2025

Dear Earl Howe,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 21 November 2023 (HL36), whether data on an annualised basis on what proportion of deaths where COVID-19 is mentioned on the death certificate have been (1) male, and (2) female, for the period in which data are available, will be published (HL3740).

The Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) mortality statistics are compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and registered as part of civil registration, which is a legal requirement. This data enables the ONS to produce detailed statistics on deaths that are registered in England and Wales. In October 2024, the ONS published annual statistics for deaths registered in 2023[1]. Deaths where COVID-19 was the underlying cause by year are published in our Deaths registered in England and Wales dataset[2]. Table 1 also provides the data you have requested.

Table 1: Deaths registered where COVID-19 was the underlying cause, England and Wales, all ages excluding under 1, 2020 to 2023.

Source: Office for National Statistics

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregistrationsummarytables/2023

[2]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/deathsregisteredinenglandandwalesseriesdrreferencetables

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.

The Rt Hon. the Earl Howe GBE

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

13 January 2025

Dear Earl Howe,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many excess deaths over the state pension age there have been in England and Wales for each year in which data are available in the last decade (HL3738); and how many age-standardised excess deaths there have been in England and Wales for each year in which data are available in the last decade (HL3739).

In February 2024, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published new estimates of excess deaths in the UK using a new method[1]. Estimates of excess deaths in the UK for those aged 65 and over for the last decade can be found in Table 1. State pension age varies by sex and changes over time, so we have presented figures for the 65 and over age group which most closely aligns with those at state pension age or above. Please also note that estimates from our model are only possible at a UK level when they are broken down by age.

Our new methodology for estimating excess deaths uses a statistical model to estimate the expected number of deaths. The model accounts for changes in population size, age structure, and trends in mortality over time. The estimates shown in Table 1 therefore account for changes in age structure. Further breakdowns providing excess deaths by age group are available in our Estimating excess deaths in the UK, methodology changes dataset[2].

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

Table 1: Annual estimates of expected and excess deaths, aged 65 and over, UK: 2011 to 2023.

Source: Office for National Statistics

[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/causesofdeath/articles/estimatingexcessdeathsintheukmethodologychanges/february2024

[2]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/causesofdeath/articles/estimatingexcessdeathsintheukmethodologychanges/february2024/relateddata

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.

The Rt Hon. the Earl Howe GBE

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

13 January 2025

Dear Earl Howe,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many excess deaths over the state pension age there have been in England and Wales for each year in which data are available in the last decade (HL3738); and how many age-standardised excess deaths there have been in England and Wales for each year in which data are available in the last decade (HL3739).

In February 2024, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published new estimates of excess deaths in the UK using a new method[1]. Estimates of excess deaths in the UK for those aged 65 and over for the last decade can be found in Table 1. State pension age varies by sex and changes over time, so we have presented figures for the 65 and over age group which most closely aligns with those at state pension age or above. Please also note that estimates from our model are only possible at a UK level when they are broken down by age.

Our new methodology for estimating excess deaths uses a statistical model to estimate the expected number of deaths. The model accounts for changes in population size, age structure, and trends in mortality over time. The estimates shown in Table 1 therefore account for changes in age structure. Further breakdowns providing excess deaths by age group are available in our Estimating excess deaths in the UK, methodology changes dataset[2].

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

Table 1: Annual estimates of expected and excess deaths, aged 65 and over, UK: 2011 to 2023.

Source: Office for National Statistics

[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/causesofdeath/articles/estimatingexcessdeathsintheukmethodologychanges/february2024

[2]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/causesofdeath/articles/estimatingexcessdeathsintheukmethodologychanges/february2024/relateddata

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The Department has a series of websites and digital tools that support adults and families to eat better, providing guidance on healthy eating, including raising awareness about foods that are high in fat and salt and suggesting healthier alternatives.

The Government recently launched the NHS Healthy Choices Quiz to help adults to identify changes that they can make to improve their health. It includes questions on their eating habits to enable them to assess their diet across five key areas, including fat and salt.

The NHS Food Scanner app shows people how much saturated fat, sugar, and salt is in everyday food and drink consumed by families in England. It helps people to choose foods that are lower in saturated fat and salt by encouraging them to look for more ‘greens’ and ‘ambers’ and cut down on 'reds'. It also suggests healthier alternatives, where these exist, with products that are lower in saturated fat/salt.

The new Best Start in Life campaign and website provide support and guidance on topics including healthy eating in pregnancy, and healthy weaning.

Better Health Families supports those with primary aged children to eat well and move more. It uses personalised email programmes, for instance Healthy Steps, social media, and other tools, for instance the Food Scanner app, to support families on their diet. Specific guidance is provided on the website for both salt and saturated fat.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England.

NHSBT regularly reviews their blood donor programme to improve access. While most people book blood or plasma donation appointments using the NHS Give Blood app or online, those without digital access can call the National Contact Centre on 0300 123 23 23 to book by phone with an agent. Additionally, many donor centres accept walk-ins if appointments are available, though booking ahead is recommended to avoid disappointment.

The Government acknowledges that women suffering with gynaecological conditions, including polycystic ovary syndrome, have been failed for far too long.

As set out in the 2022 Women’s Health Strategy, women's health is included in the Royal College of General Practitioners’ (RCGP) curriculum for trainee general practitioners (GPs), including gynaecology. This ensures that all future GPs receive education on women’s health.

The RCGP has also published a Women’s Health Library which brings together educational resources and guidelines on women’s health from the RCGP, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the College of Sexual and Reproductive Health. This resource is continually updated to ensure GPs and other primary healthcare professionals have the most up-to-date advice to provide the best care for their patients.

On the 15 July, the Department for Education published the revised Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education (RSHE) statutory guidance.

This revised guidance emphasises the importance of ensuring that pupils have a comprehensive understanding of women’s health topics, including at primary school level, while also stipulating that secondary school RSHE lessons should cover menstrual and gynaecological health, covering aspects such as what is an average period and polycystic ovary syndrome, and including when to seek help from healthcare professionals.

The Department does not hold the information requested.

To date, NHS England has published reports to Quarter three of the 2024/25 financial year. The following table shows the total cost to the National Health Service of employing locum doctors in England in each of the past five years, up until Quarter three of the 2024/25:

Source: Provider Finance Returns.